The main purpose of this study is to determine the safety and toxicity of treatment with SIR-Spheres® in patients with unresectable primary liver cancer or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Other purposes of this study include assessment of the effect of treatment on overall survival, the length of time it takes for the disease to worsen, if and how the treatment affects the patient's quality of life, and if and how the cancer responds to the treatment.

must have a confirmed diagnosis of HCC either by histological confirmation or, in a subject who exhibits a vascular liver mass in the presence of radiographically apparent cirrhosis, an alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level greater than 500 UI/ml.

must present HCC that is not amenable to surgical resection or immediate liver transplantation, or that is not optimally treatable with local ablative techniques such as radio-frequency ablation due to its size, extent or presence of cirrhosis.

must present measurable disease, defined as at least one lesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension as greater than or equal to 10 mm with spiral CT scan or greater than or equal to 20 mm using conventional techniques (CT, MRI).

must present with a whole-liver tumor burden of greater than or equal to 15% and less than or equal to 70%

must have an ECOG performance status of 2 or less.

must have normal organ and marrow function

Exclusion criteria:

Includes both the listed contraindications to SIR-Spheres® and the exclusion criteria specific to the setting of this investigational study:

hepatic artery directed therapy within the previous 6 months.

chemotherapy within the previous 4 weeks

have not recovered from adverse events due to agents administered previously

Prior external hepatic radiation therapy for HCC, more than two prior systemic chemotherapy regimes for HCC or any other concomitant therapy for HCC

Currently receiving any other investigational agents for the treatment of their cancer.

Any extra-hepatic metastases other than metastatic disease found in the lung, bone and/or abdominal lymph nodes that are not otherwise life limiting.

Any other concurrent malignancy, except for adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, in situ cervical cancer, or other cancer for which the patient has been disease-free for at least five years.

Any of the following contraindications to angiography and selective visceral catheterization:

Bleeding diathesis

Severe peripheral vascular disease

Portal hypertension with hepatofugal flow

Female subjects who are pregnant or currently breastfeeding.

Refusal or inability to use effective means of contraception in men or women of childbearing potential.

Current enrollment in any other investigational drug or device study.

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00503867